In which we learn that I am a genius.

No, seriously.

Problem: Your 5-year-old has been trying to eat ALL the gingerbread house by himself. He keeps breaking off pieces of frosting and saying, "Look! This piece of frosting broke off all by itself!" To which I reply, "Well, I guess you had better eat it." This happens many many times.

James was looking forward to making the gingerbread house all year. Whenever I mentioned christmas, he would always ask if we were going to make a gingerbread house this year. I always answered affirmatively. So, when it was time to build the gingerbread house, he was well prepared and excited to help this year. "Help"being the usable term for "eat all the candy before it gets put on the house". It was funny and so I let him eat a bit.
This may have been a mistake.

So, I came up with the most brilliant way of getting rid of the gingerbread house without permanently scarring my kindergartener by throwing it out right in front of his face.

I made up a story.
It goes like this:
On the night before Christmas Eve, Santa Claus travels around the whole world with his reindeer going from house to house to get food. The only food reindeer can eat the day before christmas is gingerbread houses. It's the only food that gives them enough sugar-power to get them around the world, delivering Santa and his sleigh for one whole night. So, on the night before Christmas Eve, we leave out gingerbread houses with a note for Santa to give the sweets to Rudolph and the rest of the reindeer, and maybe he'll leave a note for you!

With a little help from me, James wrote a note to Santa explaining that our gingerbread house was for Rudolph. We left it on the table and J went to bed.

Imagine his surprise this morning when his gingerbread house was gone and there was a NOTE FROM SANTA saying thank you for the gingerbread, Rudolph really liked it, and to be a good boy.
I've never seen a child so excited. His face went from confusion to "OH!!!!!!!"in under 5 seconds. Then he ran to me and was jumping up and down, giving hugs and kisses and was wriggling with excitement- like a puppy would. It made his morning. It made mine too:)

He wrote another note to Santa:
Mery cherismas Santa chllohs. I (heart) you.

Definitely a happy morning for sure! I can't wait to see his reaction to the presents Santa brings him tomorrow.
Major plus: I don't have to sorry about that silly gingerbread house anymore! Hooray!!!